New Delhi: Saudi Arabia has strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, calling on all nations to “dismantle terrorism infrastructure” wherever it exists and to ensure the perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice. The statement was issued as part of a joint statement Wednesday following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Gulf kingdom.
The Indian Prime Minister curtailed his two-day visit to Jeddah, foregoing an official dinner Tuesday evening in the wake of the Pahalgam attack, which has left at least 26 people dead and several more injured.
“Both sides strongly condemned the gruesome terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April 2025, which claimed the lives of innocent civilians. In this context, the two sides condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations, and emphasised that this remains one of the gravest threats to humanity,” read the joint statement.
It further stated: “They agreed that there cannot be any justification for any act of terror for any reason whatsoever. They rejected any attempt to link terrorism to any particular race, religion or culture…They condemned cross-border terrorism, and called on all States to reject the use of terrorism against other countries, dismantle terrorism infrastructure where it exists, and bring perpetrators of terrorism to justice swiftly.”
Modi departed from Jeddah after holding bilateral discussions with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and co-chairing the second meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council (SPC). During the session, both leaders agreed to expand the number of SPC committees from two to four.
The two newly established committees are the Defence Cooperation Committee and the Tourism and Cultural Cooperation Committee. The existing committees within the SPC structure are Political, Consular and Security Cooperation and Economy, Energy, Investment and Technology.
The expansion of the SPC signals deepening bilateral engagement between New Delhi and Riyadh. Last year, an export agreement worth approximately $225 million was signed between Munitions India Limited (MIL) and the Saudi government for the supply of ammunition.
In recent years, the two countries have also significantly enhanced their defence cooperation, with an increasing number of joint military exercises being conducted. Additionally, four Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were exchanged during Modi’s visit, covering sectors including space, health, anti-doping measures in sport, and the management of inward surface parcels.
Modi’s trip to Saudi Arabia forms part of India’s broader diplomatic strategy to strengthen ties across West Asia. Since the start of 2024, the Indian Prime Minister has visited the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait. The visits to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were stand-alone bilateral engagements.
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Investments, taxation & energy partnership
An agreement was reached for the establishment of two refineries in India, as both New Delhi and Riyadh seek to reinforce their energy partnership. No further details regarding the location or timeline for these refineries were disclosed.
The High-Level Task Force (HLTF) on investment also reported progress on several key issues, including taxation—an area seen as vital to boosting investment flows into India. In 2019, Riyadh had pledged to invest $100 billion in India, but the realisation of this commitment has thus far been limited.
“They noted the agreement in the High-Level Task Force to collaborate on establishing two refineries. The progress made by this Task Force in areas such as taxation was also a major breakthrough for greater cooperation in the future. The two sides affirmed their desire to complete negotiations on the Bilateral Investment Treaty at the earliest,” the Joint Statement stated.
Saudi Arabia plays a vital role in India’s energy security. In the financial year 2023–2024, the kingdom exported approximately $25 billion worth of crude oil to India, making it India’s third-largest supplier of crude. Both countries also reaffirmed their intent to collaborate on enhancing global oil market stability and balancing energy market dynamics.
The visit also provided an opportunity to explore cooperation in additional domains such as health, green energy, and infrastructure development linked to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). Saudi Arabia was one of the signatories of the Memorandum of Understanding during the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi in 2023, which laid the foundation for IMEC.
“[India and Saudi Arabia] expressed mutual commitment to work together to realise the vision of connectivity as envisaged in the Corridor, including the development of infrastructure that includes railways and port linkages to increase the passage of goods and services, and boost trade among stakeholders, and enhance data connectivity and electrical grid interconnectivity,” said the Joint Statement.
The two leaders also acknowledged the increasing number of shipping lines operating between India and Saudi Arabia as part of a broader push to improve logistical connectivity between the two nations.
(Edited by Radifah Kabir)
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